Keep in mind, I'm just point out some factors, that's all. In nnoway, NONE am I trying to take anything away from these schools. Not a thing.

^^^ Completely missed the 1998 note in your post...

 

I still think Belfry has to be included in there.. Pike County is just a massive county in land volume. It also takes a good hour to get from Belfry on one side of the county to Dorton on the other side. There are less than 5 total stop lights in the entire Belfry school district I think.

 

The only other schools off the top of my head to consider for adding are:

Pburg... I am fairly certain Pburg is not an independent school.. I know they went in 2001

Mercer County.. I would consider it rural geographically, but not sure if there over 60K residents. They went in 2006 I believe.

Rockcastle County- The Rockets had a couple appearances since 98 and it is most definitely a rural area.

Agreed, but Scott County and Collins are far from what I consider "county". Nothing rural about them, I should say.

 

Great improvement though for sure.

Most of the hay and tobacco are grown on the other side of the county in Shelby. Collins district is a huge chunk of the city population but there still is a pretty good amount of agriculture out that way. Collins is still of course considered the "city" school in the district.

 

Scott is Toyota town.

Most of the hay and tobacco are grown on the other side of the county in Shelby. Collins district is a huge chunk of the city population but there still is a pretty good amount of agriculture out that way. Collins is still of course considered the "city" school in the district.

 

Scott is Toyota town.

 

Bingo.

 

You nailed it. And, all I know to tell those who have ties to these schools is be thankful.

 

It's easy to say just "work harder" or "feeder programs, and think that is the rhyme to the reason and those are definitely parts of the forumula, but IMO, there are more important factors that play into the "Can you have success?" long before "work harder" and "feeder programs" come in.

 

Embrace it. Cherish them. Be thankful.

 

You show me programs with a mix of the following, and I'll show you successful programs:

 

-Population

-Non Ag area

-Industry

-Racial Diversity

 

The more of those you have in your favor, the better your chances. Period.

 

For those that are the exception to those rules, I ask this, look around you and see if you are having to compete against those places that do.

I still think Belfry has to be included in there.. Pike County is just a massive county in land volume. It also takes a good hour to get from Belfry on one side of the county to Dorton on the other side. There are less than 5 total stop lights in the entire Belfry school district I think.

Here are the numbers from the 2010 census

 

Pike County 65,024. This is divided up among 6 school districts. Pikeville Independent, Shelby Valley, Pike Central, Phelps, East Ridge and Belfry

 

Belfry's school district is made up of the South Williamson (7,336), McCarr (1,747) and Sidney (2,878) census subdivisions. Combine those and you have 11,961 total population in 2010. That number is on the decline since then.

^^^ Completely missed the 1998 note in your post...

 

I still think Belfry has to be included in there.. Pike County is just a massive county in land volume. It also takes a good hour to get from Belfry on one side of the county to Dorton on the other side. There are less than 5 total stop lights in the entire Belfry school district I think.

 

The only other schools off the top of my head to consider for adding are:

Pburg... I am fairly certain Pburg is not an independent school.. I know they went in 2001

Mercer County.. I would consider it rural geographically, but not sure if there over 60K residents. They went in 2006 I believe.

Rockcastle County- The Rockets had a couple appearances since 98 and it is most definitely a rural area.

 

You named a few of the missing ones right there.

Bingo.

 

You nailed it. And, all I know to tell those who have ties to these schools is be thankful.

 

It's easy to say just "work harder" or "feeder programs, and think that is the rhyme to the reason and those are definitely parts of the forumula, but IMO, there are more important factors that play into the "Can you have success?" long before "work harder" and "feeder programs" come in.

 

Embrace it. Cherish them. Be thankful.

 

You show me programs with a mix of the following, and I'll show you successful programs:

 

-Population

-Non Ag area

-Industry

-Racial Diversity

 

The more of those you have in your favor, the better your chances. Period.

 

For those that are the exception to those rules, I ask this, look around you and see if you are having to compete against those places that do.

 

I think you make a fair point and agree with it, but or the sake of argument you can find geographical hardships in different areas that create a tough situation for HS Teams.

 

EKY/Mountain- You will rarely have strong racial diversity (heavy White: African American), industry will be very limited just like Ag, and the livelihood of communities will always vary in accordance to coal mining. Just like in Ag communities there will be a noticeable amount of HS Kids asked to work for a living to help their family and transportation creates issues. Higher abundance of reduced/free lunches.

Examples: Knott Central, Magoffin County, Clay County, Leslie County

Exceptions: Belfry, Bell County

 

Inner City/Metro- You will rarely have strong racial diversity (heavy AA:White), industry will certainly be higher, but this will be offset by varying socio-economic difficulties that are better off left unsaid that are typically more specific to Metro areas, very high percentage of free/reduced lunches and a high percentage of kids asked to help support their family, transportation is not an issue in terms of distance but it is an issue in terms of availability. On top of this, you will always have a leaching effect from more programs that are the "Have's" as opposed to the "Have Not's"

Examples: Moore, Waggener, Atherton, Shawnee

Exceptions: Central

 

 

Indepedent- Metro: These are independent school districts amongst a thriving Metro area like Northern Kentucky. Racial Diversity will typically be good, but the leaching effect is very prevalent. Industry is good for the area, but the independent school district is not eh boundary where the majority of the employees actually live (think Newport that is going to be heavily populated with either young families in condos or old families without children in school ages), High percentage of reduced lunches, and though transportation ad the need to help the family arent as prevalent as other places...typically the financial side of being an independent district creates a massive disadvantage in terms of support, facilities, and educational value.

Examples: Newport, Dayton, Ludlow

Exceptions: Beechwood

With the 2013 season in the wraps, here is what I learned from this year.

 

1.) Six class football is now hear to stay. Only two private schools made the title game and they played one another in Class 2A. T and X didn't even make it to the Final Four, let alone a title game. Aren't they the reason we have six class football now? The field was unbalanced? The large publics couldn't compete? Not any more. Not this year any way.

 

2.) Defense still wins championships. Ask Belfry, Mayfield, and Highlands.

 

3.) Speaking of Mayfield, if they aren't playing in Bowling Green each year from here on out, there should be an investigation. Top to bottom from feeder to varsity, maybe no better complete program in the state.

 

4.) Remember when people were upset when DeSales unceremoniously dumped head coach Mark Sander a short time after leading them to the 2A title game in 2009? I don't either.

 

5.) Play was much faster this year. More teams adopting a no-huddle, fast-break style offense. Teams were slow to adopt.

 

6.) Bowling Green may very well have had the best team in the state this year. Hard to say though without them playing other teams that made it to Bowling Green.

 

7.) The regional finals and semi-final rounds, I think, are more dramatic and evenly matched than the state finals. That means better crowds. I know weather was bad but a 50-percent drop in attendance was rather steep for the most important game of the year.

 

8.) Social media on Friday nights makes following games in progress statewide much easier when you don't have web access.

 

9.) Consolidation will continue to make it harder for public county schools to win state titles and make it easier for the nearby independant districts to rebuild quicker. Three of the six winners were independent schools if I'm not mistaken.

 

Love when Scribe goes to work. Always good stuff with much thought. Well done.

I think you make a fair point and agree with it, but or the sake of argument you can find geographical hardships in different areas that create a tough situation for HS Teams.

 

EKY/Mountain- You will rarely have strong racial diversity (heavy White: African American), industry will be very limited just like Ag, and the livelihood of communities will always vary in accordance to coal mining. Just like in Ag communities there will be a noticeable amount of HS Kids asked to work for a living to help their family and transportation creates issues. Higher abundance of reduced/free lunches.

Examples: Knott Central, Magoffin County, Clay County, Leslie County

Exceptions: Belfry, Bell County

 

Inner City/Metro- You will rarely have strong racial diversity (heavy AA:White), industry will certainly be higher, but this will be offset by varying socio-economic difficulties that are better off left unsaid that are typically more specific to Metro areas, very high percentage of free/reduced lunches and a high percentage of kids asked to help support their family, transportation is not an issue in terms of distance but it is an issue in terms of availability. On top of this, you will always have a leaching effect from more programs that are the "Have's" as opposed to the "Have Not's"

Examples: Moore, Waggener, Atherton, Shawnee

Exceptions: Central

 

 

Indepedent- Metro: These are independent school districts amongst a thriving Metro area like Northern Kentucky. Racial Diversity will typically be good, but the leaching effect is very prevalent. Industry is good for the area, but the independent school district is not eh boundary where the majority of the employees actually live (think Newport that is going to be heavily populated with either young families in condos or old families without children in school ages), High percentage of reduced lunches, and though transportation ad the need to help the family arent as prevalent as other places...typically the financial side of being an independent district creates a massive disadvantage in terms of support, facilities, and educational value.

Examples: Newport, Dayton, Ludlow

Exceptions: Beechwood

 

Good points.

 

As for the bolded, they are also competing against schools very similar, if not clones of them across the board.

 

Kind of like basketball, in recent years, more and more 5A/6A schools have been dominating our regions making it to the Sweet 16. The exceptions? Eastern KY regions. In particular the 14th and 15th regions.Why? There aren't any big schools to compete against.

 

Is the 14th Region that doesn't have any schools that are above 4A?

Everyone would be surprised how free/reduced lunch numbers effect test scores and w/l records.

Everyone would be surprised how free/reduced lunch numbers effect test scores and w/l records.

 

It's universal as well...not just specific to Kentucky

 

If you find a school with high free/reduced lunch that either excels on testing or in athletics then there is definitely something worth researching to figure out why. Either there is an academic figure (or collection) who knows how to push the right buttons or there is a coaching figure who can do the same on the athletic side.

Everyone would be surprised how free/reduced lunch numbers effect test scores and w/l records.

 

TOTALLY agree. They go hand in hand.